Pono
A Great Big Pile Of Leaves / Pono / 2021 / TSR240
Summer is here, and with it, the summer tunes - the ones that entice you to jump in the pool and drink a cold, crispy beer. One band that never fails to become part of my summer soundtrack is A Great Big Pile Of Leaves. They encompass everything that is great about the summer, the beginning of the school year, and the beauty of autumn. In 2021, eight long years after the release of You’re Always On My Mind, (I traded my copy away…I need another) the Brooklyn based trio dropped their third LP Pono. It’s a joyous, fun record that invokes memories of beach trips, skateboarding, falling in love, and trick-or-treating, amongst others, much like their incredible sophomore album.
Pono is a distinctive indie rock title full of twinkly guitar riffs, reverb pedals, and clever, imagery-driven lyrics from lead guitarist and vocalist Pete Weiland. Opening track Yesterday’s Clothes is a homage to that craving for a much needed vacation at the beach. As Pete sings in his syllabic, deep voice “I wanna sleep on the porch, to flip flops marching to the shore, I wanna wake up to your face bathing in the summer shade. I wanna feel the speed of our bikes, and sticky fingers from the water ice, I wanna feel the burn of my feet waiting for the ice cream”. For me, it’s the epitome of being at the Jersey shore in June - a true embodiment of my childhood trips to my aunt’s beach house every summer. Then the instrumental breakdown during the bridge with a guitar solo and thick basslines? *chef’s kiss* It’s my favorite track on the album. Meanwhile, Kitchen Concert transports us into Pete’s visionary tale of playing imaginary games with his child. What kid doesn’t love drumming with every kitchen tool alongside their parent? I love the chorus guitar part enriched with combos of chord slides and palm mutes that opens to full strummed chords. The bridge then flourishes with a floaty guitar line accompanied with half time drums. It’s a dreamy song that always gets my head swaying. Writing Utensils is a hilarious, ironic track about always forgetting a pen or pencil on test day at school. The track is a slow build up of layers and volume, which works really well in placing you back in your desk chair and feeling the pressure and stress of exams. Another great example of how A Great Big Pile Of Leaves really know how to create a scene through your ears. Additionally, they know how to say goodbye. Album closer Simple Pleasures might not be funny like Pizzanomics, but it carries a heft that makes you want to sing every word as it’s carried on. It’s another track full of build up that concludes and will have you looking for more.
A Great Big Pile Of Leaves is Pete Weiland, Tyler Soucy, and Tucker Yaro. Pono was recorded and produced by the band in their home studio. If you enjoy Pono I highly recommend checking out Have You Seen My Prefrontal Cortex? and You’re Always On My Mind.
